Deformed, unfinished, sent before my time That dogs bark at me, as I halt by them;— Of Edward's heirs the murderer shall be.1 Enter CLARENCE, guarded, and BRAKENBURY. Brother, good day. What means this armed guard, That waits upon your grace? Clar. Glo. Upon what cause? Clar. Because my name is-George. Glo. Alack, my lord, that fault is none of yours; He should, for that, commit your godfathers.O, belike, his majesty hath some intent, That you shall be new christened in the Tower. But what's the matter, Clarence? may I know? Clar. Yea, Richard, when I know; for, I protest, 1 This is from Holinshed. As yet I do not. But, as I can learn, And, for my name of George begins with G, These, as I learn, and such like toys as these, Glo. Why, this it is, when men are ruled by women. 'Tis not the king that sends you to the Tower; Was it not she, and that good man of worship, That made him send lord Hastings to the Tower; Clar. By Heaven, I think there is no man secure, The jealous, o'er-worn widow, and herself,1 Brak. I beseech your graces both to pardon me; His majesty hath straitly given in charge, That no man shall have private conference, Glo. Even so? An please your worship, Brakenbury, You may partake of any thing we say. We speak no treason, man.-We say, the king Is wise and virtuous; and his noble queen A bonny eye, a passing pleasing tongue; And that the queen's kindred are made gentlefolks. Brak. With this, my lord, myself have nought to do. Glo. Naught to do with mistress Shore? I tell thee, fellow, He that doth naught with her, excepting one, Glo. Her husband, knave.-Wouldst thou betray me? Brak. I beseech your grace to pardon me; and withal, Forbear your conference with the noble duke. Clar. We know thy charge, Brakenbury, and will obey. Glo. We are the queen's abjects,' and must obey. Mean time, this deep disgrace in brotherhood, Clar. I know it pleaseth neither of us well. Mean time, have patience. Clar. I must perforce; farewell. [Exeunt CLARENCE, BRAKENBURY, and Guard. Glo. Go, tread the path that thou shalt ne'er return, Simple, plain Clarence!-I do love thee so, That I will shortly send thy soul to heaven, 1 i. e. the lowest of her subjects. This substantive is found in Psalm xxxv. 15. 2 He means," or else be imprisoned in your stead." To lie signified anciently to reside, or remain in a place. If heaven will take the present at our hands. Enter HASTINGS. Hast. Good time of day unto my gracious lord! Glo. As much unto my good lord chamberlain ! Well are you welcome to this open air. How hath your lordship brooked imprisonment? Glo. No doubt, no doubt; and so shall Clarence too; Hast. More pity that the eagle should be mewed, While kites and buzzards prey at liberty. Glo. What news abroad? Hast. No news so bad abroad as this at home ;— The king is sickly, weak, and melancholy, And his physicians fear him mightily. Glo. Now, by saint Paul, this news is bad indeed. O, he hath kept an evil diet long, And over-much consumed his royal person; 'Tis very grievous to be thought upon. What, is he in his bed? Hast. Glo. Go He is. you before, and I will follow you. [Exit HASTINGS. He cannot live, I hope; and must not die Till George be packed with post-horse up to heaven. Which done, God take king Edward to his mercy, For then I'll marry Warwick's youngest daughter.1 1 Lady Anne, the betrothed widow of Edward prince of Wales. See King Henry VI. Part III. What though I killed her husband and her father? By marrying her, which I must reach unto. Clarence still breathes; Edward still lives and reigns; SCENE II. The same. Another Street. [Exit. Enter the corpse of KING HENRY THE SIXTH, borne in an open coffin, Gentlemen bearing halberds, to guard it; and LADY ANNE as mourner. Anne. Set down, set down your honorable load,— If honor may be shrouded in a hearse,Whilst I awhile obsequiously lament The untimely fall of virtuous LancasterPoor key-cold' figure of a holy king! Pale ashes of the house of Lancaster! Thou bloodless remnant of that royal blood! Be it lawful that I invocate thy ghost, To hear the lamentations of poor Anne, Wife to thy Edward, to thy slaughtered son, Lo, in these windows, that let forth thy life, 1 A key, on account of the coldness of the metal of which it is composed, was often employed to stop any slight bleeding. The epithet is common to many old writers. |